Friday, January 26, 2007

A Shortage of Porridge

Watching today’s news with a second paedophile released on to the streets by an Exeter judge because of the lack of prison places, I’m wondering what the point of having a non-existent deterrent is?

The Sunday Times revealed last week that most burglars aren’t now jailed but 100% of community charge objectors – normally old age pensioners are. This week, it seems that it’s OK to be a paedophile because there’s no room at the inn, or even the 'nick'.

In the end, one’s left thinking what’s the point of it all, why is nobody ever responsible for anything anymore and why, when we’re paying more taxes than ever, we can’t have a criminal justice system that’s fit for purpose or even the needs of a small and disorganised central African state!

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Simon the justice system of a small African state is cheap to run consisting as it will of about 5 soldiers, 5 Ak47's and five rounds of 7.62 ammo, a spade and a convenient grave.That would soon clean up Thanet, unfortunately of course the death sentences would probably be carried out on the OAPs who cant or wont pay their council tax.I just heard on the BBC news that a dangerous paedophile is walking free while the News of the World reporter who bugged some Royal phone or other is now in jail.Thats justice for you in Blairs England.

The failure to provide enough prison places is the root of the problem and I am not surprised to find that judges are responding to the 'letter' fom Reid in some quirky sentencing. I don't know about you, but a rather sad character looking at child pornography in the privacy of his own home is punished enough with the shame of exposure and being branded a Sex Offender for the rest of his life without needing to be sent to prison. The bugging issue is the first serious incident of this type to come before the courts and the signal here with only 2 months to be served is that the law regards it as serious! You may also have heard a judge saying that the prisons crisis is not the result of Govt policy on no prison building, but its risible sentencing policy that has ceased to be a deterrent in many crimes. The fall in aggravated burglary crimes isn't due to good policing as any victim will tell you but a recent hardening of the penalty if caught. Prison needs to punish and DETER. Robust sentences would soon put a stop to the mindless low level crime so many in Thanet suffer from. Bin the ASBOs and give 6 months in tough youth custody and see how the aggro will cease.

Yes, I've often thought, what would happen if EVERYBODY refused to pay their Council Tax. They can't send us all to prison. I suppose it would be considered tantermount to Revolution, and the Government would have to resign, and politics, as we know it, would cease to exist. I wonder what they do with all the V.A.T. C-Tax, Income Tax, Fuel Tax...(and we are talking Millions a day) surely the Income must exceed the outgoing?By the way.... 6 months hard labour custody for ASBO offenders, instead of a stupid certificate (as the previous blogger wrote) is the deterrent needed.